Sonic Mule Retired, Will Enter Stud in Uruguay

Multiple graded-placed stakes winner Sonic Mule has been retired and sold to Haras El Santo in Uruguay, where he'll enter stud this year.

The 6-year-old son of Distorted Humor  was of particular interest to the farm because of the most recent success of other Distorted Humor sons in South America, according to Carlos S.E. Moore, who bought Sonic Mule on behalf of Haras El Santo.

"Distorted Humor as a sire of sires is doing extremely well in South America right now," Moore said. "Two of the top sires right now are by Distorted Humor, with Fortify in Argentina and Drosselmeyer in Brazil. Drosselmeyer's sons have been running in Uruguay and doing outstanding."

Drosselmeyer was the fifth-leading sire in Brazil for the 2019-20 season, with seven of his eight black-type winners succeeding at the group level. He was the third-leading sire in Uruguay during the same season with five group winners. In Argentina, the top 10 sires for the current year include Fortify and Endorsement, another son of Distorted Humor.

WinStar Farm bred Sonic Mule in Kentucky out of the multiple graded stakes producing mare Globe Trot, who is the dam of multiple grade 1 winner and sire Bolt d'Oro  (Medaglia d'Oro ) and multiple graded stakes winner Global Campaign (Curlin ). Tragically Global Trot died after foaling Global Campaign.

"The mare had three foals that were all very good stakes winners, so she was unique," said Moore. "Sonic Mule has a lot of good ingredients."

Sonic Mule's second, third, and fourth dams were all black-type winners. His third dam, Tour, produced three stakes winners among her five winners. Tour's daughters include multiple black-type winner Joke, who is the dam of three-time grade 1 winner and sire Zensational.

As a racehorse, Sonic Mule was campaigned by Calumet Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher. He broke his maiden at first asking and followed his debut with a third in the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and a third in the Sapling Stakes. He won his first black-type race in the Buffalo Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park, which was his last race of 2016. At 3, he started the year by winning the Mucho Macho Man Stakes and then later placed in the Swale Stakes (G2), City of Laurel Stakes, and Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3). He would win an allowance race at 4 before an injury interrupted his training. Bought by Calumet as a yearling for $175,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Sonic Mule compiled a 5-1-5 record out of 16 starts and earned $264,190.